


Reploid Life II

by Featherhead



Series: Reploid Life [2]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Holy shit there's a plot, Language, M/M, Spider has a foul mouth, where'd that come from?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:03:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11368416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherhead/pseuds/Featherhead
Summary: Slices of life from our favorite robots.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ((I would like to make a note that much of the characterization for Cedar has been borrowed from the characterizations and headcanons developed by [Socket](http://sockettoem.tumblr.com/). She's developed him into such a wonderful and rich character, you should check her stuff out. :D))

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cedar doesn't make mistakes, Cedar ponders Spider's moods, Vava is losing himself, Spider denies there are such things as ghosts, Cedar has to make a choice, Blues faces immortality, Signas decides 'fuck it', Dynamo is scary, Cedar misses the stars, and Spider makes a choice.

_**01\. Mistakes**_  
  
Cedar is a sniper who doesn't make mistakes. He always makes sure of his target, checking multiple times through his rifle's scope, and the zooming functions of his eyes, before he pulls the trigger.  
  
The other snipers among his mercenary group have numerous tally marks on their weapons, proudly displaying their kills.  
  
Cedar's only has one, to remind him of his first- and last- mistake.  
  
And he's forever haunted by the image through his scope of a motionless child who'd been hidden behind his target.  
  
_**02\. Heartfelt**_  
  
Cedar has known Spider for almost a quarter of a century, and he's seen the bounty hunter in a variety of moods, with an equally varied range of expressions.  
  
He's seen Spider's wicked smirk when the bounty hunter is feeling particularly evil or playful.  
  
He's learned the subtle differences between Spider's normal poker face- the one he uses for card games and the like- and Spider's angry poker face- the one just before he has his throwing cards out to kill someone.  
  
He's seen Spider in a quiet rage so terrifying, he didn't ask questions when Dynamo yanked him out of the area as the first streaks of wolf-gold sliced across ruby eyes.  
  
And he will never forget the startling moment Spider flashed a fang at him in a smirk, and Dynamo had laughingly informed him that Spider liked him.  
  
But Cedar has never before seen Spider _speechless_ , and so unguardedly startled as when he'd given the bounty hunter a custom Ka-Bar knife for a gift on the bounty hunter's activation day.  
  
_**03\. Fading Away**_  
  
Sometimes Vava forgets he was anyone else before. He used to hesitate over which name to answer to, which name to sign on reports when he was a Hunter.  
  
Those moments have happened less lately.  
  
He has to struggle at times, to remember names, faces from back then, even though some of those names and faces are still walking around.  
  
He fears the day he forgets who he was completely.  
  
But sometimes...he forgets there's a reason to fear.  
  
_**04\. Spirit**_  
  
Spider is a practical 'roid. He doesn't believe in any of that mystical bullshit, even less than Dynamo does. Sure, he talks about Lady Luck like she's an actual entity, and he considers it a good sign when the Ace of Spades turns up in one of his draws- what bounty hunter isn't at least a _little_ superstitious?  
  
But he doesn't believe in Fate. He doesn't believe in religion. And he sure as hell doesn't believe in the afterlife, or that there's anything that lingers on after a 'roid dies.  
  
But he'd still swear on a whole stack of Aces of Spades that he hears Aile's laughter just behind his shoulder when Spider finally decides to join X and the Resistance.  
  
_**05\. Choose**_  
  
Spider and Dynamo are skilled at keeping secrets, nearly as good as their creator at the art of deception and misdirection.  
  
But not even they can keep some secrets forever, and eventually Cedar learns the identity of Aluce's murderer.  
  
He stares through his scope, tracking Axl's progress down the street, finger on the trigger.  
  
But he doesn't fire just yet.  
  
Axl's isn't alone.  
  
Spider and Dynamo are with him, and Cedar watches as they laugh and joke together like brothers.  
  
_**06\. Immortal**_  
  
The differences between humans and robots never really struck Blues, until the day he realized Kalinka was _old_ \- white-haired, deep laugh lines around her eyes, a veritable horde of children, grandchildren, and _great-grandchildren_...and Blues still looked barely eighteen.  
  
But it didn't sink in until he stood at the grave of her great-great-grandson Oskar, surrounded by Oskar's own horde of descendants.  
  
_**07\. Open Your Eyes**_  
  
Spider wasn't sure what the party had been about. All he knew was as soon as Signas noticed Spider entering through his office window, the High Commander had grabbed him and hauled him off to one of the rec rooms where a party had apparently been in full swing: music, dancing, alcohol- both human and Reploid- the whole nine yards.  
  
The bounty hunter suspected Signas had been coerced into attending, and had pounced on Spider's arrival as an opportunity not to have to suffer it alone.  
  
At least Signas wasn't going to make him dance. As much as Spider liked to pretend he was performing on stage in front of a packed house, Sigma would prance around in Times Square in a fucking tutu before the bounty hunter shared his fine moves with any but a very select few.  
  
They ended up on a couch together, sniggering at Zero and poor X. For all the blonde Hunter was dancing death on the battlefield, he could _not_ dance otherwise, and X's feet were getting thoroughly stomped as Zero ignored that fact.  
  
Spider must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing he knew, he was curled up sideways in Signas' lap with the Hunter's arms wrapped securely around him, head resting on his chest, tucked under the larger Reploid's chin.  
  
For a moment, Spider considered being embarrassed. He could still hear some Hunters in the room, as well as X and Zero. Then he decided he was too comfortable to be embarrassed, feeling his lips twitch in a faint smile. He wasn't going to pass up this opportunity, especially when the High Commander had been so discreet and almost secretive about his relationship with Spider.  
  
"I know you're awake," Signas murmured, amusement rippling in his voice.  
  
"Shut up, 'm dead," the bounty hunter mumbled back, smiling faintly at the vibrations of the High Commander's chuckle beneath his cheek.  
  
Then Spider grunted a complaint as the High Commander shifted, jostling him, and...oh, hey, that was a rather nice kiss.  
  
...in front of everyone.  
  
Damn, Signas must have either decided kissing him was more important than decorum, or he'd just decided 'fuck it'. Or both.  
  
Spider was _not_ complaining either way, purring almost inaudibly as he returned the kiss.  
  
"Eeeeewwww!"  
  
Spider freed up a hand to wave his middle finger in Axl's general direction, prompting laughter from the others.  
  
He was almost disappointed when Signas broke the kiss, opening his eyes partway with a sleepy smile for the High Commander, the larger Reploid returning it.  
  
Then he jumped at a prod to his side, elbowing Signas in the gut before almost scrambling to his feet with a mock-sour look.  
  
"I get the feeling 'close friends' doesn't cut it for what's between you two," Zero said dryly, looking from one to the other with a wicked knowing grin.  
  
"Piss off," Spider replied, stretching hard, hearing Signas' chuckle at his back.  
  
_**08\. Electrify**_  
  
Most days, Dynamo is merely an annoyance who is occasionally amusing with his off-beat antics.  
  
Sometimes he's even charming.  
  
But some days, he's downright terrifying.  
  
No one looks outside during thunderstorms anymore.  
  
No one wants to see Dynamo standing out in the rain, arms raised to the sky as if calling down the lightning.  
  
It's a terrifying thought for a Reploid, to face that much raw energy so suddenly.  
  
So the sight of Dynamo practically glowing with excess energy after being struck, grinning almost maniacally, is even more terrifying.  
  
Especially when he sends lightning back into the sky with a wild whoop of laughter.  
  
_**09\. Starlight**_  
  
The one thing Cedar dislikes about the city is there is too much light pollution to see the stars. And since most of his missions are at night, he feels the lack keenly at times.  
  
But if the desire to see the stars becomes too strong, Cedar goes to Spider's condo.  
  
There he'll lay on the couch, gazing up at the ceiling, where the bounty hunter has meticulously replicated the night sky over the city in fiber optic stars.  
  
_**10\. Sacrifice**_  
  
Spider is the last 'roid you'd expect to sacrifice anything. He's learned the wisdom of running from battle if there's a chance he could be killed. He's never believed any cause could be worth dying for.  
  
But as he meets Axl's gaze across the deathtrap Ancientus has laid for X and his allies, his brother's expression terrified and trying to be brave...he finally finds one.  
  
And he charges toward Ancientus.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Zero is accommodating, X has bite marks, Zero gives X a gift, X sees through Axl's copied form, X wonders at Spider's reactions to Axl, Cedar gets himself into trouble, Spider and Aile's final day together, there is an unused bedroom in Spider's home, Reploid society has a secret, and Spider pays off a debt.

**_11\. Honor_**  
  
Zero is not the most accommodating of 'roids at the best of times. He stubbornly prefers to do his own thing- preferably alone with no one to hinder or distract him- and he doesn't respect authority well.  
  
He gave both Sigma and Doctor Cain hell, back in the day.  
  
He only obeys Signas because the High Commander respects his preferences and doesn't try to force obedience from him.  
  
And X? The blue putz is his best friend and lover, going on most of a century, so Zero has no problems accommodating his requests, as long as they're within reason. And X has yet to ask anything of him that's unreasonable by Zero's standards.  
  
But when Dynamo starts challenging him on a certain day every year, Zero doesn't ask questions. He only meets the challenges head on, knowing only too well what sorts of demons drive the mercenary.  
  
After all, Zero has some of the same demons, and who is he to deny someone the chance to battle them?  
  
He owes it to a fellow disillusioned Hunter.  
  
 _ **12\. Bite**_  
  
X has learned to tolerate the teasing and thinly-veiled insults that have followed him during nearly a century of being active. He doesn't react any more when someone makes a snide remark about his pacifism, only grins sheepishly when someone jokes about his seeming unnatural propensity for getting into the weirdest situations.  
  
But when the jokes about vampires or werewolves start up every time someone spots a new mark on his neck, he just smirks.  
  
It's not _his_ fault Zero likes to bite, and he's _damn_ sure not going to complain about it!  
  
 _ **13\. Commit**_  
  
X knows Zero's not the most sentimental 'roid. The blonde Hunter rarely forms any attachments deeper than a working relationship with others; a fact X doesn't blame him for, since Zero has lost so many comrades to failed Hunts, betrayal, or to the Virus.  
  
Not to mention losing Colonel and Iris in that whole fiasco that left a black mark on the Irregular Hunters' reputation that still exists to this day.  
  
So X doesn't take it personally on those days when Zero is especially distant. He understands, and he doesn't push, willing to accept whatever Zero feels he can offer.  
  
X doesn't need anything more. He already knows Zero cares; how could he not, after all the times Zero has died for him?  
  
Still, X is surprised one day when Zero pauses on his way out for a Hunt and grabs his wrist, slapping something into his hand so his fingers close automatically around it, before jogging off down the hall to the teleport hubs.  
  
X stares after him a moment, then looks down, opening his hand to see what it is.  
  
And he can't help smiling when he sees a simple gold band on a chain.  
  
 _ **14\. Fake**_  
  
X looked back and forth between the two 'roids standing in front of him, one eyebrow raised as he took in their matching smirks. Mirror images, there wasn't a difference to pick between them.  
  
Except...  
  
The blue Hunter pointed at the one to his left. "Axl, you stop that right now."  
  
The 'roid blinked, then pouted, letting his borrowed form fade in a blinding glow.  
  
Zero looked at the younger Hunter and snickered. "Told you it wouldn't work."  
  
Axl huffed at him, before turning his pout on X. "How'd you figure it out? I thought I had everything right this time! We fooled _Lifesaver_."  
  
X smiled tolerantly at him. "Axl, you could mimic Zero right down to his smallest micro-expressions, and I still would know you weren't him. You could probably fool _Blues_ , but not me. Never me."  
  
"That still doesn't tell me how you figured it out. And don't say anything sappy or gross!"  
  
The blue Hunter chuckled quietly and met Zero's gaze, the blonde Hunter giving him a rare smirk that hid his fangs. "No, nothing sappy or gross. I've seen my death in his eyes, and that leaves an intangible mark that no one can ever fake."  
  
 _ **15\. Tender**_  
  
X frowned as he watched Spider and Axl interact. Ever since the young Hunter had joined their group, Spider had been...well, not exactly _different_ , but...X wasn't certain how to describe it. The others had been surprised when Axl revealed his shape-changing abilities, but Spider's surprise had been subtly different. As if he'd known about the ability, but was surprised to see Axl himself.  
  
It was mildly worrying for X, the blue Hunter feeling protective of his younger comrade.  
  
But Spider hadn't actually done anything suspicious yet, unless you counted the fact Spider's usual aloofness whenever a new 'roid joined their group was completely absent when Axl joined. Gullible, oblivious, and trusting he may be, but even X could notice when something didn't jive, so to speak. But he couldn't just confront the bounty hunter about it, not without some kind of proof. So he just watched, and waited.  
  
Currently, Spider and Axl were at a table in the corner, the bounty hunter teaching Axl how to play Texas Hold 'Em. Axl was listening attentively as Spider explained the intricacies, nodding to show he understood. The bounty hunter murmured something, prompting a broad fanged grin from Axl, and Spider returned the grin, though to a lesser degree. But it was enough to reveal the bounty hunter had fangs as well.  
  
X was startled when he saw that, looking back and forth between the two 'roids. He knew Zero had fangs, the blonde Hunter was always leaving marks on X's neck with them. Dynamo had fangs, too, though they weren't quite as impressive as Zero's; the mercenary still made good use of them in subtle displays of threat or mischief. And X had known from the start that Axl had them, the younger Reploid had flashed them at X in an unrepentant grin when they first met all those years ago.  
  
But X hadn't known Spider had them, and he wondered at the possible connection.  
  
His wonderings were cut short, however, and he stared as Spider abruptly leaned across the table, scrubbing his hand over Axl's helmet in lieu of ruffling his hair, while the young Hunter laughed a protest and tried to escape the rough affection.  
  
X almost started forward when Axl apparently decided lunging across the table to tackle Spider was a good idea, the bounty hunter's chair tipping over and sending both 'roids to the floor. X was afraid for a moment a fight would start, that Spider would react badly.  
  
But it seemed his fears were unfounded, and the blue Hunter watched in amazement as Axl and Spider started scuffling playfully right there on the floor. For an instant, X was reminded of when Axl and Zero scuffled together, and he was left completely bemused.  
  
Until it suddenly clicked.  
  
Axl and Spider were acting like _brothers_.  
  
X blinked, seeing the situation in a new light, and a different suspicion rose to take the place of the first.  
  
 _ **16\. Trouble**_  
  
Cedar knows he's in trouble the moment when, in the midst of his ranting about some antic Spider has pulled, the bounty hunter stops smirking at him in not-so-thinly-veiled amusement and his expression goes stony.  
  
He just doesn't realize how much, until he's cut off by a hand over his mouth from behind him, an arm around his waist pulling him tightly against a frame practically radiating controlled fury.  
  
"Spider," Dynamo says firmly, tone allowing no arguments. "Go see Signas. Now. I'll deal with Cedar."  
  
The bounty hunter obeys without a word, vanishing down the hall that leads toward the teleport hubs.  
  
Cedar watches him go, then turns when he's released to face Dynamo.  
  
And nearly jumps back when he sees the other mercenary's expression.  
  
Truthfully, it's not his expression that startles Cedar, so much as what's happened to his eyes.  
  
The sniper knows of the odd phenomenon that affects Spider, that causes the bounty hunter's eyes to change when certain factors trigger a very specific anger, and wolf-gold streaks slice across the familiar ruby eyes.  
  
Cedar hadn't been aware it also affected Dynamo, the effect more striking due to the wolf-gold contrasting so sharply against midnight blue.  
  
Dynamo stares at the sniper, tone even when he speaks. "You and I need to have a little _talk_."  
  
For the first time he can remember, Cedar is _afraid_ of the other mercenary.  
  
 _ **17\. Final**_  
  
Spider groaned faintly as he rubbed his shoulder, chuckling quietly as he listened to Reese and Dodger hurl insults back and forth while they set up for their shift across the room. Glancing at Aile, he grinned and muttered, "Think those two are ever gonna stop dancin' around each other?"  
  
Aile chuckled as well, turning off the monitor and removing his headset, hanging the headset on its hook. "Not likely," he murmured back. "Not for another few years, at least."  
  
Spider snickered quietly and shook his head, waiting while his partner maneuvered his hover unit around, then walked beside him as they left the command center. "How's things goin' with Chief R? You manage to get him to approve that supply request?"  
  
"It took some convincing, but yes. He kept questioning why we needed that particular chemical mixture. Apparently he knows what it does when mixed together. I finally had to admit to the truth and explained how it got the name 'Fuck You Friday'."  
  
The younger Reploid threw his head back and laughed. "I bet his expression was somethin' else!"  
  
Aile snickered. "He just stared at me a couple minutes, then shook his head and signed off on the request."  
  
They fell silent then, heading companionably down the hall, still hearing Reese and Dodger's argument from the command center. Soon the sound faded, to be replaced by an argument between Crystal Horn and Talon drifting from further down the hall in one of the supply rooms.  
  
Spider stepped to the side, turning sideways and pressing against the wall as Demon charged down the corridor between him and Aile, a furious Dragon on his heels. Spider watched them disappear around a corner, grinning when he heard Demon's shrieks of laughter and pleas for mercy.  
  
He glanced at Aile, who had twisted his upper torso around to look over his shoulder with a matching grin. "Not bad for a buncha 'filthy bounty hunters', eh?"  
  
Aile chuckled and straightened himself out as they continued down the corridor. "Yes, even Chief R has to admit we're proving remarkably effective. If we can keep this up for another year, he might start things rolling to make the Troubleshooters officially sanctioned."  
  
The younger Reploid hummed quietly, eyes closing halfway over a pleased smile. "Man, wouldn't that be somethin'. Be a real boost, and a thumb in the old man's eye." He smirked at his partner's snort, then it faded. "What do you think about this Epsilon character and his Rebellion?"  
  
Aile frowned, tapping his fingers on his hover unit. "I think they could be very dangerous if they ever gained momentum. Their cause is admirable, but their methods..."  
  
Spider grunted with a frown of his own. "Their methods suck. Chief R's takin' precautions?"  
  
"Yes. He's been keeping the human leaders updated on the situation, and he's been in contact with the Federation."  
  
Spider snorted in disgust and rolled his eyes. "Like _that's_ not gonna come back to bite us in the ass," he muttered. "Buncha fuckers."  
  
"It's a necessary evil, in this situation," Aile replied with a tolerant smile as they stopped outside the lift door.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Spider turned toward his partner with a wry smile. "Think Chief R's gonna give you any grief about your long hours again?"  
  
"Of course~" Aile grinned briefly, before it softened to a smile. "I'll see that he gets the evening's reports. I'll see you in the morning?"  
  
The younger Reploid returned the smile. "Yeah. Gonna check in with Dynamo and Ced, then drop by my place for a quick check before turnin' in."  
  
"Tell them I said 'hello'."  
  
"So that's a 'fuck you' for D, and a 'fuck you, too,' for Ced. Got it."  
  
Aile laughed, punching the grinning Reploid's shoulder. "Be nice, or I won't share my expensive chocolates I have stashed in my quarters!"  
  
Spider snickered, rubbing his shoulder. "Extortionist." He leaned in to kiss the older Reploid, purring quietly when Aile's hand came up to rest on the back of his head, holding him in place for a moment. When he was finally allowed to draw back enough to speak, he smiled softly at Aile. "I'll bring somethin' for breakfast on my way back here."  
  
Aile's eyes lit up. "One of your famous gourmet concoctions, perhaps?"  
  
Spider chuckled and straightened up. "It's a promise," he replied, stepping back so Aile could maneuver into the lift, watching until the door closed behind his partner, then turned to amble toward the teleport hubs.  
  
Unfortunately, he never got to keep his promise. The Rebellion made its move that night, taking over Gigantis, and Spider never saw Aile alive again.  
  
 _ **18\. Waiting**_  
  
Every place Spider has lived, he's always made sure there are three bedrooms. Whether it's an apartment, a condo, or even a flat or townhouse, there are _always_ three bedrooms.  
  
The master bedroom is always his, of course, decorated to his tastes. Black walls and white trim, floor and ceiling a tapestry of fiber optic starlight, matte black and chrome furnishings, and purplish-blue neon lighting wherever it's tasteful.  
  
The second bedroom is Dynamo's. Spider always lets the mercenary decorate it how he wants, which typically consists of whatever paint is Dynamo's current favorite (not always paint meant for walls; the current room is painted with _car paint_ in holographic black flake), obnoxious pink everywhere, and lately, a certain shade of lavender scattered here and there.  
  
The third room, however, has never been used. It's all neutral colors, with no decorations or personal touches. Spider tends to keep the door closed, so he doesn't have to look at it.  
  
You see, it's meant for the brother Spider has never known. The brother that was lost before Spider was even built.  
  
But Spider keeps it ready, just in case Axl ever finds his way back home.  
  
 _ **19\. Awareness**_  
  
One thing about Reploid society that humans have little to no idea of is that Reploids have 'personal bubbles', defined by an individual's electromagnetic field. Humans are unable to detect such fields without the use of specialized equipment, but to a Reploid it's almost an instinctive ability to detect another's EMF.  
  
It's a very difficult thing for a Reploid to hide, so most don't bother. But it's not impossible. Most Irregulars have learned how to suppress their EMF, drawing it in so tightly that one has to practically be on top of them before detecting it. Irregular Hunters are taught this same skill, and also how to detect the subtle clues that give away a suppressed field. Some individuals, such as Zero, are so attuned to EMF detection that it reaches an almost supernatural level- no one has yet discovered just how exactly Zero is able to locate X no matter where the blue Hunter is, or how tightly X suppresses his field. Rumors claim the ability is even more developed in the legendary Blues, but no one has been able to confirm the veracity of such claims.  
  
This EMF 'personal bubble' isn't the same for every Reploid. Its range varies depending on the power and abilities of the individual. The average Reploid's EMF rarely extends further than a foot or two around them, but a more powerful Reploid's EMF may extend six feet, give or take a few inches. Reploids with electrical or magnetic abilities tend to extend the furthest, often as far as twenty feet or more. Dynamo, for example, has been reported to be able to extend his EMF to nearly thirty feet, whereas Spark Mandriller's EMF was recorded to be able to extend well over fifty feet.  
  
Another interesting aspect about Reploid EMF is the ability to actually detect a Reploid's emotions in the field. It takes a rather sophisticated sensor suite to do this, however, and the average Reploid lacks the ability. After the Third Uprising, it became a standard upgrade for Irregular Hunters, and Reploids in certain professions are designed with the ability, or acquire it through not-always-legal methods. There is a brisk trade in the black market for the upgrades, and though exorbitantly expensive, mercenaries, spies, assassins, and various mafia-type organizations will pay any price for them.  
  
As for why humans have so little knowledge Reploid EMF and related abilities? The Reploids want it that way, because if too many humans ever found out, it would cause a veritable witch hunt that could result in the destruction of the entire Reploid race. It's the one thing all Reploids agree on, whether civilian, Hunter, or Irregular.  
  
You know those news stories of random humans killed in Irregular attacks, or felled by a sniper no one has ever located?  
  
You can bet those humans probably learned something they shouldn't have, and were silenced.  
  
 _ **20\. Turn Away**_  
  
Spider frowned as he eyed the building in front of him critically. It hadn't changed since the last time he saw it nearly a year ago, not that he'd expected it to, but something still seemed different. Shrugging it off, he sauntered inside with the new confidence he'd learned with Aile. He had proven to himself he could make it on his own, whether or not his creator agreed.  
  
He wasn't going to let his creator win this one, too.  
  
Blues was in the lab, as expected, the older 'roid seemingly unaware of Spider's entrance. The bounty hunter didn't doubt for a minute that the old bastard knew he was there, and was choosing to ignore him.  
  
As usual.  
  
Spider eyed his creator's back with a scowl for a moment, before forcibly smoothing his expression. And he was rather proud of how even his voice was when he spoke.  
  
"Hey, old man. Gimme my bill."  
  
He raised an eyebrow when Blues jumped and turned toward him. Huh. Maybe the old bastard _hadn't_ noticed his entrance.  
  
Blues' surprise melted instantly into a frown. "Spider? Where the _hell_ have you-"  
  
"I said, gimme my bill," Spider interrupted firmly.  
  
The older 'roid hesitated, staring at him, eyes hidden behind those damn shades, then he turned to root around in a cabinet drawer. Wordlessly, he handed the stapled-together stack of papers to Spider.  
  
The bounty hunter took a moment to look through the itemized list of the parts used to build him, silence and tension stretching between them, broken only by the quiet rustle of pages turning.  
  
When Spider reached the last page with the total, he nodded slightly to himself. He'd remembered right. Then he strode forward, calling a thick stack of zenny from data storage and slapping it on Blues' desk. He waited for Blues to glance at the money, for his attention to return to Spider, expression clearly baffled and uncertain at this close distance.  
  
Holding his creator's gaze, the bounty hunter said slowly and deliberately, "Keep the change."  
  
He snorted at Blues' stunned expression, spinning on his heel and heading toward the door.  
  
"Spider, wait!"  
  
But Spider kept walking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aile finds something Spider lost, Spider makes another decision, Vava keeps coming back, Spider meets Aile, Dynamo panics, there are drinking shenanigans, apparently bounty hunters flirt while chasing targets, Axl gets a clue, Cedar learns something new about Spider, and Spider still doesn't believe in ghosts.

_**21\. Searching**_  
  
Aile watched with calm curiosity as Spider practically tore the flat apart in his frantic search for something, a veritable stream of curses trailing the younger bounty hunter in an almost visible wake. Aile wasn't too worried about the growing mess, knowing Spider would clean everything up once he found what he was looking for.  
  
"You lose something?" the older bounty hunter finally asked, knowing it was an obvious question.  
  
"I can't find my penny-whistle! I thought I left it with my shit, but it wasn't there when I woke up!"  
  
"Oh, you mean this?"  
  
Spider whirled at the question, eyes locking on the instrument in his partner's hands. The only reason he didn't grab for it was he saw what Aile was doing.  
  
Smiling, Aile held up the penny-whistle to display its newly-acquired shine, then offered it to him.  
  
The younger 'roid slowly took it, looking it over, running his fingers along the length, tracing the familiar dents and scratches that now seemed part of its design, rather than flaws. "...it looks like new," he whispered.  
  
"It's clearly a prized treasure, so it should look the part," Aile smiled.  
  
Spider looked at it a moment longer, then lifted it to his lips, playing a simple five-note whistle that seemed hauntingly familiar to Aile, though the older 'roid couldn't put his finger on why. As the last note died away, something flashed across Spider's face that Aile didn't quite catch.  
  
The moment passed, and the younger bounty hunter launched into more complicated music, eyes closing as he played reel after reel, visibly relaxing.  
  
Aile settled back with a smile, watching his partner and enjoying the impromptu concert.  
  
 _ **22\. Hands of Fate**_  
  
Spider frowned as he watched the commotion below his perch, fingers toying with an explosive card as some big thug beat on a smaller 'roid. He itched to interfere, but he couldn't risk it. Not yet. Not until he figured out where Aile and Chief R were.  
  
He started to head back inside the tower, when he heard voices from below.  
  
"Hold it. You're X, aren't you? I heard about you on the news. Sorry, but I had to report you."  
  
"You're with the Rebellion forces?!"  
  
 _That voice_.  
  
Spider turned back to peer over the balcony wall, eyes narrowed as he got his first good look at the Irregular Hunter that was his creator's youngest brother. He wasn't impressed, but...he could use this opportunity to get close to Jango. To find out where his partner was being held.  
  
Flinging his card, he watched the thug menacing X explode, expression set in a poker face as the Hunter whirled to see where the attack came from.  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
Spider resisted the urge to snort. "Trust me! I didn't do that for _you_!"  
  
Firing his dash jets, he leapt off the balcony, firing them again just before he landed in front of the Hunter. Straightening up, he wasn't surprised to see the Hunter's Buster aimed at him.  
  
"I'm neither Irregular nor Rebellion," Spider said evenly. "But if I brought your head to the Rebellion, it would fetch a pretty penny!" Flipping an explosive card into his fingers, he got a glimpse of the Ace of Spades on its face.  
  
 _Huh. Wonder where Lady Luck's leadin' me this time. Better make it a good show for the Lady_.  
  
Hiding a wry smirk for the deception he was kicking off, he braced himself for the coming fight.  
  
 _ **23\. Irresistible**_  
  
Vava stands on a ridge, staring at the little house and connected lab below. He's careful to disguise his presence, to break up his silhouette with the nearby brush and temporary camouflage paint.  
  
But he knows Blues would see him, if he ever looked for him. Or ever came outside his damn lab.  
  
Vava isn't here for Blues, however. He doesn't keep coming back because of the older 'roid.  
  
His eyes follow the red robotic dog running around the yard, barking his fool head off while a laughing Roll teases him with a Frisbee. And he aches to join them.  
  
He doesn't move, however, only watches.  
  
He knows he shouldn't be here, that they'd try to kill him if they saw him. Nevermind that he threw away any chance of returning to that life when he'd first followed Sigma.  
  
But he can't stop coming back, to watch and remember.  
  
 _ **24\. Easy**_  
  
Spider never believed being a bounty hunter would be easy. Nor did he ever believe breaking into the bounty hunter community would be easy.  
  
He doesn't buy into all that romanticized bullshit the media presents about it, either. After all, if the media got being a mercenary so wrong, what makes him think they got it right about bounty hunting?  
  
His first job isn't easy, naturally. For all the skill he'd learned from his creator, he barely manages to complete the job and bring in his target.  
  
Still, he's determined to make it, if only because he needs the money. He refuses to go skulking back to his bastard of a creator with his tail between his legs.  
  
His second job isn't any easier, and the target leads him a not-so-merry chase before he finally brings the 'roid down. He's eyeing his handiwork critically when a voice speaks behind him.  
  
"Not a bad kill."  
  
Spider does a quick sidestep-turn to face the source, a series of explosive cards in hand as he eyes the 'roid who'd spoken.  
  
The Reploid isn't very impressive. A good foot shorter than Spider, with sort of salmon-colored light-combat armor, and a ridiculous-looking crest on his helmet. He's leaning against a wall with arms crossed, watching Spider with a smile that feels very much like he's laughing at him.  
  
Spider narrows his eyes at the stranger, wary. "Did I steal your target?" he asks cautiously.  
  
The stranger chuckles. "Yes, but that's all right. You've got some pretty neat skills." He tilts his head, smile widening slightly. "You're just starting out, aren't you? Have you ever thought about a partnership?"  
  
Spider frowns, eyeing the 'roid. "...you offerin'?"  
  
"If you're interested. Two heads tend to work better than one, after all. It makes it easier to corner targets. And it certainly doesn't hurt for a newbie to have the benefit of an experienced partner to teach him the ropes."  
  
...this is too easy. "What's the catch?"  
  
The 'roid shrugs. "I don't believe in catches. Too messy for all involved. How's a fifty-fifty split sound?"  
  
Spider blinks, lowering his arm as he relaxes. He doesn't believe there _isn't_ a catch, but...the offer _is_ appealing, and he can't see any way it can't benefit him. "Sounds okay, I guess."  
  
The 'roid chuckles. "You guess? Well, then. You have a name, kid?"  
  
Spider frowns at the 'kid' part. "...Spider. You?"  
  
"I'm Aile. It's a pleasure to meet you, Spider."  
  
 _ **25\. Breathing**_  
  
Dynamo would never admit he panicked when he found Cedar severely injured and staggering like a punch-drunk zombie barely a block from Aluce's organization's hideout. He hadn't asked questions, only scooped the sniper up and took off for Blues' place. Cedar wouldn't have been able to answer questions anyway in his state, which was deteriorating so quickly Dynamo was tempted to risk a teleport, despite the danger.  
  
However, he _would_ admit to panicking when Cedar stopped responding to him altogether, and even purposely jostling him to cause pain hadn't even gotten a twitch.  
  
Dynamo was pretty sure he startled a few years off his creator's life when he skidded into his lab, begging him to help Cedar.  
  
He'd stood back as Blues worked, trying not to fidget, until his creator requested a tool, and he'd jumped to retrieve it, relieved to have something to do, to be able to help Cedar in some way. Dynamo was certain Blues had picked up on that, because the older 'roid continued requesting this tool or that part, keeping him busy and distracted during the repairs.  
  
When the repairs were finally finished, Dynamo had immediately volunteered his old room for Cedar to recover in. Blues hadn't commented, only gestured for him to take the sniper as he returned to the work Dynamo had interrupted.  
  
Settling the sniper on the bed, Dynamo studied the unconscious 'roid for a moment, then slipped out. Peering into Roll's room to make sure she wasn't in, he grabbed a brush from her dresser and returned to his own room. Dragging a stool over to the head of the bed, he gently tugged Cedar's hair free to drape over the pillow, and started carefully brushing out the tangles.  
  
"You're brushing his hair?" Blues asked from the doorway, favorite mug in hand as he watched with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Shut up," Dynamo replied, not stopping what he was doing. "He likes it neat and tidy and shit."  
  
Blues smirked and took a sip from his mug. "Is that so. Well, don't let me interrupt." Turning to leave, he called over his shoulder, "Ping me when he's awake."  
  
Dynamo didn't answer, focusing on his task, and the relieving sound of Cedar's breathing.  
  
 _ **26\. Stumble**_  
  
It's always an adventure when Axl gets invited to hang out with Spider and Dynamo. He's not sure why they keep including him, but he's not going to protest. Especially when the activity includes drinking.  
  
Going out drinking with them is an _experience_ , and though the Hunters get up to some wild and weird shenanigans when drinking is involved, nothing they do can quite compare somehow to what happens with the bounty hunter and the mercenary.  
  
It always starts out normal enough. Sort of.  
  
Spider orders the uber-expensive shit whose prices make Axl's eyes nearly bug out when he hears them. If the bounty hunter is in a good enough mood, he'll let Axl try a sip every now and then when he gets something new. And he pretends not to know Dynamo when the mercenary starts up his antics.  
  
Dynamo, on the other hand, orders from the mixed drinks menu. The pornier the name, the better, apparently. And he seems delighted every time Axl sprays his own drinks from laughing so hard at the more ridiculous names.  
  
Axl, for his part, tends to order from the mid-range section of the menu- not too cheap, and not too expensive. It helps him feel less guilty about it when Spider insists Axl's drinks go on his tab.  
  
Depending on the bar, drinking isn't all they do. Some bars have karaoke, which Dynamo apparently loves with a passion, the mercenary thankfully having a surprisingly good singing voice. Some bars will have a poker game going, and Spider always gets involved, though they rarely let him bet anymore, because he wins so often and consistently. One bar they went to even had a trivia competition going, and all three of them had joined it as a team. They'd won, of course, and split the prize; Axl still giggles at the memory of X's face when he'd presented the older Hunter with four bottles of X's favorite expensive and hard-to-find booze.  
  
More often than not, however, the entertainment is live music, and Axl is always amazed to see _both_ Spider and Dynamo rocking out to music like heavy metal, dubstep, and screaming rock. Dynamo, Axl expected to be a fan of it. But not _Spider_. The bounty hunter's attitude had always suggested he'd be more of a fan of jazz or slow rock or something.  
  
Somehow they always end up at bars within walking distance of the Irregular Hunter base, because when the night's over, they always end up walking back. Axl is always the most sober, largely due to rarely ever getting to actually drink anything, because of laughing at Dynamo's antics. Spider is only moderately drunk- just enough he stumbles a little when he walks, but still sober enough to haul around Dynamo. The mercenary, of course, is drunk off his ass, almost to the point of unconsciousness, but he still somehow manages to stumble along with Spider's support.  
  
Axl never worries too much about them. He knows that, after Spider holds Dynamo up while the mercenary worships the porcelain god, Dynamo will end up crashing on a couch in one of the rec rooms. And Spider...well, Axl would rather not think about where the bounty hunter spends the night, but he suspects it involves Signas somehow, with how often Spider harasses the High Commander.  
  
If Axl's lucky, one or both of them will still be around in the morning for him to thank. Or point and laugh at, in Dynamo's case, because Zero usually finds the mercenary first and wreaks some kind of subtle revenge while the mercenary's asleep for whatever prank Dynamo's pulled on the blonde Hunter lately.  
  
 _ **27\. Fighting**_  
  
Spider ducked a wild shot, flinging a couple explosive cards in retaliation. He only smirked when the target dodged the attack and bolted.  
  
 _::Heads up! Comin' your way!::_  
 _  
_ _::I see him!::_  
  
Spider saw Aile detach from the shadows ahead of the target, amazed once again how someone with such bright fucking armor could blend in so well.  
  
The target skidded to a stop when he saw Aile, firing wildly at the agile 'roid, before darting for an alley.  
  
 _::Rooftops!::_  
  
 _::Heading him off! Meet you at the cross street!::_  
  
Spider ran for the nearest fire escape, quickly scaling it to the roof and racing parallel to the alley, leaping breaks in the roof line, keeping eyes on the target. He cursed when he saw the target leap a fence to go down a side alley, leaping the alley to follow.  
  
 _::Right turn, Clyde!::_  
  
 _::Fuck! On it!::_ A pause, then, _::By the way, how does Italian sound?::_  
  
 _::Sembra che questo.::_  
  
 _::I meant the_ food _, smartass.::_  
  
Spider blinked. _::You askin' me out on a_ date _?::_  
  
Aile chuckled. _::Well,_ you _haven't asked yet, so it seems I have to.::_  
  
The younger Reploid frowned slightly, leaping another alley as he pursued the target. _::...what about that new place on 3rd?::_  
  
 _::Fuck you and your expensive tastes.::_  
  
 _::Nah, I'm buyin'.::_  
  
Spider watched the target exit the alley, vanishing around a corner. Hearing the sounds of a clash, he picked up the pace, firing his dash jets as he leapt off the roof. Firing them again as he landed, he immediately charged to assist his partner in subduing the target, pinning the thrashing and cursing 'roid down while Aile put stasis cuffs on him.  
  
"Remind me again why we took this job?"  
  
Aile chuckled, grabbing the now-sullenly-silent target's arm and hauling him to his feet. "Because," he explained patiently, "we needed the money, and you needed the experience dealing with 'capture, not kill' bounties."  
  
"Too much fuckin' trouble."  
  
"True, but it's still a necessary skill. So, you're buying, hm?"  
  
Spider grunted, tugging his hat low as he tried to affect nonchalance. "Not like _you_ can afford it."  
  
"I see that blush. Let's drop this guy off and collect our bounty so we can go to your damn expensive restaurant."  
  
"I ain't blushin'!"  
  
"Sure, you aren't~"  
  
 _ **28\. Closing In**_  
  
Axl is sure he's on the right track to recovering his lost memories now. Lifesaver had directed him to Dynamo's quarters in the mercenary base. And while that had been a harrowing experience, with Dynamo looking more panicked than Axl could ever remember him being as he hid Axl from Cedar...something falls into place in the young Hunter's mind.  
  
He isn't sure what it is; it's certainly not a memory, but it's _something_. And when Gate later directs him to Dynamo's actual apartment, he _knows_ he's finally close to grasping the key that will unlock everything.  
  
Dynamo doesn't tell him anything outright, of course. He only says, "Check the oldest coordinates in your teleporter."  
  
Of course, Axl checks. And he's surprised to find a set of coordinates he doesn't remember, the time-stamp from before his earliest memories of Red.  
  
He hesitates, remembering how much trouble he got into for running off to Gigantis in search of clues to his past, nevermind how much help he'd proved to be against the Rebellion.  
  
He looks up at Dynamo, the mercenary watching him with the oddest smile Axl has ever seen from him- sadness mixed with hope mixed with something so _familiar_ it makes something in the young Hunter ache- and Dynamo winks at him.  
  
Axl activates his teleporter, vanishing in a beam of light in pursuit of what feels like the final answer to everything.  
  
 _ **29\. Involved**_  
  
Cedar was mystified by an odd fact- though Spider had a fairly luxurious condo that the bounty hunter had clearly taken great pains to furnish to suit his hedonistic lifestyle, Spider was hardly ever actually there. True, he'd extended an open invitation for Cedar to come by whenever he wanted, whether Spider himself was there or not. And Dynamo, being Spider's brother, was always dropping by to raid the refrigerator or bar.  
  
But it still puzzled the sniper just what Spider did all day. Surely he couldn't be out bounty hunting _all_ the time? And though Cedar knew Spider occasionally ran errands for his creator, he also knew Spider and Blues weren't on good enough terms for that to happen too often.  
  
Dynamo hummed thoughtfully when Cedar finally put the question to him, tilting his head back to gaze up at the fiber optic chandelier in the shape of a spade in the center of the room. "Well, let's see," he said slowly. "It's Tuesday, right? I think he's down on the fourteenth floor, installing a balcony pool for Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds."  
  
Cedar blinked, casting a quick glance at Spider's own balcony pool outside the enormous picture windows. "He's _what_?"  
  
"Installing a balcony pool. And the day after tomorrow, I believe he's scheduled to install a fiber optic starlight ceiling in Ms. Crystal's daughter's room up on the thirty-eighth floor. I think she's negotiating for a fiber optic chandelier, too, but she hasn't decided on a design yet."  
  
The sniper _stared_ , eyes whirring quietly. "He...he does interior design? _And_ pools?"  
  
Dynamo grinned at him. "Oh, yeah. Interior design, wiring, plumbing, flooring... All this stuff-" He gestured around the great room at the chandelier, the fiber optic starlight ceiling and floor, the recessed neon lighting, and other design features Cedar had assumed had come with the condo. "-he designed and built it. He threw a dinner party for some of his neighbors, and word got around to the other tenants in the Tower, so they started hiring him to do similar renovations for them. Apparently it pays _real_ good, which means he doesn't have to take too many bounty hunting jobs if he doesn't want to, or go begging to the old man for jobs. Which means he can dick around with us, schedule permitting~"  
  
Cedar thought over this latest revelation about the bounty hunter who was still a mystery to him even after nearly a quarter of a century. Finally he shook his head with a rueful smile. "I really should stop being so surprised by the hidden facets you and he are always revealing."  
  
"That even possible?" the subject of their conversation chuckled as he walked in.  
  
"Hey, you finished early!" Dynamo grinned, waving a greeting at Spider. "How'd it go?"  
  
The bounty hunter rolled his eyes, walking over to flop on the couch beside Cedar with a groan. "Don't ask," he grunted, letting his head drop back against the back of the couch. "Next time the Reynolds hire me, one or both of you are comin' with me, 'cause I _ain't_ goin' back there alone."  
  
Dynamo snorted a laugh while Cedar stared at the bounty hunter with wide eyes for what he was implying. "Sounds like you need to take a break, Spider-man~ How about we go bar-hopping? I hear there's some great bands playing tonight."  
  
"Don't call me that. And that sounds like a _great_ idea." Spider rolled his head to the side to look at the sniper beside him. "You up for it, Ced?"  
  
Cedar blinked, then smiled. "Of course. Someone will need to stay sober to make sure you two don't get up to too much trouble."  
  
 _ **30\. Destiny**_  
  
Spider groaned quietly in pain, left arm sparking sharply, left leg barely responding. Jango had beat him good, and he was tempted to just lay here for a while and recover, but someone was tugging at him, urging him to his feet. Staggering upright, he glanced around, frowning when he saw he was alone.  
  
Must've been a sensor misread.  
  
Huffing quietly, vents wide open to try to cool his stress-heated frame, he glanced up at the flashing red lights, feeling a streak of alarm. The self-destruct Jango had activated.  
  
Fuck. He had to try to get out of here.  
  
Clutching his injured arm, he limped along the best he could, despite his leg dragging and slowing him down. He refused to let his mind settle on the thought he might not make it, trusting that X was fool enough to try to stop the self-destruct.  
  
He glanced over when a door suddenly opened, expecting enemies coming to finish him off. But he was greeted by the sight of an empty hall.  
  
Frowning in puzzlement, he eyed the open door, then headed for it, not willing to question it at a time like this. Questions could come later, when he wasn't in danger of dying.  
  
He glanced up when the lights stopped flashing, and he couldn't help a tired smile. He'd been right. X had gone to stop the self-destruct, and the damn fool had actually succeeded.  
  
Looked like he owed the idiot.  
  
Sagging against a wall to catch his breath, the bounty hunter closed his eyes, tempted to give in to the tug of exhaustion.  
  
" _Jango_."  
  
That was right, he still had to pay that fucker back for...wait.  
  
Jerking his head up, eyes snapping open, he looked around sharply. Fuck, now he was hearing voices? How badly had his processor been rattled by his fight with Jango?  
  
Giving his head a sharp shake, he dismissed it and straightened up, making a mental note to see if any of the medical 'roids had escaped the fucker's grasp.  
  
He looked up and down the hall, trying to figure out which way Jango might have gone, staring as a door opened further down the hall.  
  
...must be a short in the mechanisms or something.  
  
Still, he wasn't going to argue. If the doors were opening automatically now, it meant he wouldn't have to jar his injured arm any trying to open them himself. He doubted his access codes would work right now anyway.  
  
It didn't take him long to realize he was heading toward the heliport, and he picked up the pace as much as he could. Of course. Jango would try to escape from the heliport; it was the only way he could.  
  
Reaching the doors leading to the heliport, he barely acknowledged the doors opening for him, immediately spotting Jango. X had apparently reached the fucker first, but hadn't done too well; the Hunter sprawled some distance away from Jango and trying to get up.  
  
Then Spider saw Jango bend to pick up a familiar glowing blue crystal, and the bounty hunter saw red. He had a card in hand before he realized it, flinging it at Jango, the explosion knocking Aile's ID crystal from the fucker's hand.  
  
Ignoring X shouting his name in surprise, Spider growled, dragging himself forward, eyes locked on the Rebellion 'roid, allowing the anger he kept buried deep to finally surface.  
  
Jango was going to pay for treating his partner's soul so disrespectfully.  
  
And if it meant throwing his lot in with X, well...Spider owed it to Aile's memory, and the cause Aile had given his life for.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cinnamon discovers what sweet is, Spider finds something (someone) he didn't know he was looking for, Spider has nightmares, Spider is charmed by his new partner, Dynamo convinces Spider to do something, Lifesaver is an evil bastard, Roll is haunted by what she didn't do, Axl has all the luck, Signas gives Spider a gift, and Crystal Horn and Talon have a "discussion."

_**31\. Sweet**_  
  
Cinnamon has been called many things during her short life. Nice, sweet, innocent, naive, gullible...  
  
Why, once during the Resistance's fight against the Rebellion, Spider had even called her an angel of mercy, with a grin so charming she'd squeaked and covered her face with her hands to hide her blush.  
  
She'll admit to being nice, and she knows she's innocent and naive, perhaps even gullible (she had, after all, almost let Marino kidnap her).  
  
But she's not sweet.  
  
No, she knows what sweet is, and it's not her.  
  
The former Resistance members had gotten together for a reunion of sorts, to reconnect and catch up on each other. New Hope and Gigantis' Central Tower were still being rebuilt, so High Commander Signas had offered one of the Irregular Hunter community halls for it. Everyone had been behaving- even Marino, though that was mostly due to Zero threatening to put a leash on the thief if she tried to sneak off and steal anything.  
  
Marino only took the threat seriously because the blonde Hunter had actually had a leash in hand when he made the threat.  
  
Cinnamon had wandered off in search of Nana, wanting to ask the operator about something regarding New Hope, when she stumbled across the true definition of sweet.  
  
Sweet was Signas and Spider, having slipped away from the others to a shadowed alcove, arms around each other, foreheads pressed together and soft smiles on their faces, each wearing the other's hat.  
  
Cinnamon had pressed a fist hard against her mouth to stifle a squeak at the scene, then she'd quietly slipped off before they noticed her.  
  
She never breathed a word of what she'd seen. And every time afterward when someone calls her sweet, she just smiles, and remembers what it really is.  
  
 _ **32\. Calling**_  
  
Spider isn't sure what to think as he makes his way through a corridor so old and decrepit, he has to dig at some points to get through where parts of it have caved-in. He'd come to the old Badlands, investigating rumors of odd energy readings detected in an area not even Irregulars dared go. Normally not even _he_ would risk it- no amount of money or reward was worth getting trapped if the whole place came down.  
  
With each blockage he comes across in the corridor, he thinks to himself that he should head back.  
  
But still he continues on his way, going deeper and deeper, in search of something he hadn't realized he was even looking for.  
  
Suddenly he comes out into open air and complete darkness, his sensor suites informing him he's in some sort of room. And he can hear the walls and equipment around him humming with electricity.  
  
Groping along the wall, he finally locates a light switch, activating the lights, and he squints against the sudden brightness.  
  
When he can see again, all he can see is a stasis capsule in the center of the room, gaze locked on it like it was a magnet.  
  
Slowly he approaches, circles it, before finally moving close enough to swipe the thick dust from the glass enough he can peer inside.  
  
He's shocked by the bit of almost-serene face he can see inside the capsule, and yet he's not.  
  
He removes a larger swath of dust so he can get a better look, and he finds himself staring at a 'roid he's never met, but he knows well.  
  
How could he not, when he has the 'roid's picture in his holo-data locket, and his creator has filled his head with stories of him?  
  
Spider eyes the motionless 'roid through the glass- the still-visible marks of battle on battered black and gold armor, the missing right arm- then he slowly grins, exposing his rarely-shown fangs in wicked delight.  
  
"You're gonna fuckin' _owe_ me for the rest of eternity, old man," he whispers, tapping the activation sequence on the number pad.  
  
Then he steps back as the capsule rumbles through its start-up process, locks unlocking with dull thunks, a cloud of vapor released as the lid slowly lifts.  
  
Slowly the 'roid sits up through the vapor, movements hampered by his missing arm, a stubborn scowl on his face as he looks around- an expression Spider knows well, seeing it on his brothers' faces, seeing it on his own in the mirror.  
  
Red eyes a shade lighter than Spider's own finally land on him, and the scowl deepens. "The fuck are you looking at?"  
  
Spider can't help a shadow slinker's smile as everything suddenly makes _sense_.  
  
"Hello, Forte."  
  
 _ **33\. Nightmare**_  
  
Spider doesn't have nightmares often. And while terrifying for him, he can shrug most of them off once he calms down.  
  
Sometimes he has nightmares about spiders, ironically enough. He doesn't know where that particular fear came from, though he suspects if he was on speaking terms with Blues, his creator would tell him it had something to do with Forte. And he'll _never_ forgive Dynamo for tricking him into watching Arachnophobia that one time.  
  
Sometimes he has nightmares about his death in Gigantis, dreaming of hands grabbing frantically at him, of searing heat that never ends. Sometimes his mind even conjures up additional monstrous scenarios where he barely survives, only for Redips to turn up and drain his life away while copying his data, like some twisted robotic version of a vampire.  
  
But the nightmare that always wakes him in a metaphorical cold sweat is the one where his mind replays the event when he almost caused Aile's death.  
  
It always starts out the same. Spider and Aile have finally caught their target- one of those 'capture, not kill' bounties they rarely bother with, because such jobs are usually more trouble than they're worth. But this one, the bounty is high enough they risk it.  
  
They're just about to put stasis cuffs on the 'roid, when he breaks free and bolts. He's just slow enough that Spider immediately gives chase, thinking he can catch the bastard before he gets too far. Of course, Aile gives chase himself, because you just don't leave your partner hanging like that.  
  
In the nightmare, every street is the same- long, dimly-lit with flickering streetlamps, not a single person or 'roid anywhere, save Spider, Aile, and their target.  
  
Sometimes the target vanishes, melting away just before they run into the mechadragon. Sometimes the target turns _into_ the mechadragon.  
  
Either way, it ends the same- Spider getting mauled badly enough he can't move, helpless to do anything except watch and listen to Aile's scream as the mechanical beast tears his partner in half.  
  
Spider always wakes with that scream echoing in his ears, and it takes him hours to calm down afterward.  
  
 _ **34\. Flat**_  
  
Spider stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, looking around Aile's flat. He still wasn't sure accepting the other bounty hunter's offer to stay with him was the best idea, but...well, he couldn't mooch off Dynamo forever. He wouldn't feel right not helping Dynamo pay rent or something, and he already had a huge debt to pay off.  
  
He wasn't sure he trusted Aile's declaration that, on learning Spider knew how to cook, the younger Reploid could do that in lieu of paying rent.  
  
Really, he wasn't sure he trusted _Aile_ ; the 'roid was just too cheerful and open to be genuine.  
  
Speaking of...  
  
"Will you sit down already?" Aile chuckled, returning from the kitchen with a couple drinks. "You're making me nervous."  
  
Spider snorted. " _I'm_ makin' _you_ nervous?"  
  
Aile laughed, setting one of the drinks down so he could grab the younger Reploid's arm and almost drag him to the couch. "Please. You're taller than me, you're faster, and you have in-builts. If I tried anything, you'd have me deader than dead before I could blink."  
  
The younger Reploid grunted, reluctantly taking a seat and accepting the offered drink. He eyed it briefly, before turning a wary frown on Aile. "What do you get outta all this? Besides food you don't have to cook."  
  
The other bounty hunter shrugged, settling back with his own drink. "The chance to mentor someone. The chance to make sure some damn good raw talent doesn't get wasted before it has a chance to develop." He smirked teasingly at Spider. "The chance to have the deck stacked in my favor, for a change. You've noticed I wasn't originally built for any kind of combat."  
  
Yeah, Spider had noticed that, but hadn't commented on it himself. "What was your original function?"  
  
"Oh geez. Let's see." Aile raised his gaze to the ceiling, humming thoughtfully as he sipped his drink. "I was _originally_ intended to be a sort of secretary. A receptionist-type thing. But I proved too snarky for the job, so they shunted me into records. That didn't work out so well, because the filing cabinets started mysteriously ending up with names posted on them. Things like 'What the Fuck Is Accounting Smoking?' or 'Why the Hell Are We Keeping These Records, They're Old As Fuck.' I think it was the one that ended up called 'Proof Why the CEO Is a Grade-A Idiot' that got me kicked out finally."  
  
Spider couldn't help snickering, starting to relax. "That when you got into bounty huntin'?"  
  
"More or less. I tried mercenary work for a while first, but I wasn't cut out for that. I kept getting into it with this one mercenary with the most shit-eating grin I've ever seen."  
  
The younger Reploid raised an eyebrow. "Lemme guess. Dynamo?"  
  
Aile grinned at him. "Oh, you know him?"  
  
"He's my older brother," Spider replied dryly.  
  
"Really? Small world, and all that shit. The next time you see him, tell him I said 'fuck you'."  
  
One corner of Spider's mouth quirked upward briefly as he slowly settled back against the couch, taking a sip of his drink. Maybe accepting Aile's offer wasn't such a bad idea after all.  
  
 _ **35\. Superstar**_  
  
"I can't believe you talked me into this," Spider muttered, gripping the neck of his electric violin tightly. He felt uncomfortable without his armor, but he couldn't deny the wisdom of wearing normal human clothing for something like this.  
  
Dynamo snickered, flicking the lights on his electric guitar on and off. "Hey, you promised you'd do anything for my birthday."  
  
"I didn't think you'd choose _this_!" the bounty hunter hissed, glancing around to make sure none of the other people gathered in the room were listening.  
  
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me Mr. 'I'm So Cool and Collected I'm Not Fazed By Anything' Spider is getting _stage fright_ ~"  
  
Spider sputtered, giving his brother a look of insulted indignance. "I ain't gettin' stage fright!"  
  
Dynamo gave the younger Reploid a knowing smirk. "Sure sounds like it. _Relax_ , will you? It's just like when we played while Ced was watching us."  
  
"Except about ten million other people will be watchin', too," Spider muttered sourly.  
  
The mercenary snorted, glancing over when a stagehand signaled them. "Put your charming smile on. We're on next."  
  
Spider groaned faintly, then pulled himself together and managed a charming smile as he followed Dynamo to the ready area.  
  
Dynamo glanced at him as they waited for their cue, then grinned and leaned in to whisper by the bounty hunter's ear, "Aile's gonna be in the audience."  
  
Spider blinked, perking up considerably. "Aile?"  
  
"Yup. Front row, by the center aisle, just to the right behind the judges."  
  
The bounty hunter blinked again, the deathgrip on his instrument relaxing.  
  
By the time they got their cue, Spider's smile was more genuine as he followed Dynamo onto the stage, gaze immediately searching out the seat he'd been told about.  
  
Aile was there, just like Dynamo had said, the former bounty hunter smiling when he met Spider's gaze.  
  
It still pained Spider to see the bulky hover mechanism Aile had opted for instead of having his lower torso rebuilt, but the fact Aile had come all the way from Gigantis for this mitigated some of the pain.  
  
Determined now to put on a good show for his former partner, the bounty hunter turned his attention to the judges, returning their greetings and the introductory chit-chat. Then, flicking the lights on his violin and bow on, he lifted his instrument to his chin, glancing toward Dynamo.  
  
The mercenary gave an almost imperceptible nod, and they started to play.  
  
As always, it didn't take long for their usual antics to start. Though they'd started out facing the audience, they ended up facing each other, trading the music back and forth like they were trading blows. Everything else melted away as they slowly started circling each other, steps picking up speed and energy as the music fueled them. It was only a few moments before they forgot the audience, the judges, _everything_ as their familiar dance took hold, both Reploids dipping and twisting and spinning in the complicated rhythm of battle, their weapons of choice their instruments and the music.  
  
It was over too soon, as it always was, and Spider was actually startled by the roar of applause. Glancing around quickly, he saw the audience was on their feet, clapping and cheering their approval.  
  
He ignored the impulse to look at Dynamo, knowing the mercenary was grinning triumphantly, and his eyes immediately sought out Aile again.  
  
The former bounty hunter was clapping, and he grinned teasingly when he met Spider's gaze, mouthing the word " _Superstar_."  
  
Spider's mouth twitched briefly, before stretching into a shy grin, the bounty hunter almost missing the judges' approval that ensured them a place in the next round.  
  
He hoped Aile would be able to make it to that one, too.  
  
 _ **36\. Spider Web**_  
  
Spider stared at Lifesaver in embarrassed horror. "...you didn't."  
  
The medic only smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"You...you gotta be jokin', right? You're _jokin_ '."  
  
The sweet smile shifted into a wicked grin.  
  
"...you're not jokin'. What...why the _fuck_ would you do somethin' like that?!"  
  
Lifesaver chuckled darkly, thoroughly enjoying the bounty hunter's predicament. "Why not? You _are_ the one who tested it out for me."  
  
" _So_?! How the fuckin' hell does that equate what you done?!"  
  
"I thought calling it Spider's Web was rather clever. _And_ it's apt, considering the design." The medic smirked as Spider found all new shades of red to turn. "I thought you'd be pleased to have it named after you~"  
  
"Who in their right mind would be pleased to have a fuckin' _sex toy_ named after them?!"  
  
"Clever pun there~"  
  
" _Th-_ _that_ _wasn't intended! And don't change the subject!_ "  
  
Lifesaver snickered as he returned to his work. "What are you so upset about? You're getting a portion of the royalties."  
  
Spider's jaw dropped. "Y...you're _merchandisin' it?!_ "  
  
"Of course. What the hell did you think I did with all the stuff I design? Sit on my ass and stare at it while twiddling my thumbs?"  
  
The bounty hunter made a sound that was half groan, half whimper, sinking into a chair and covering his face with both hands. "At least tell me my face isn't plastered all over the packagin'," he said weakly.  
  
"Certainly not. Not even I'm that vindictive."  
  
"Small mercies. Microscopic ones."  
  
"Oh, stop your bitching. Here." Lifesaver reached under the counter for a box, tossing it to the bounty hunter. And he watched with fiendish delight as Spider promptly flushed a brilliant red. "First one produced for sale. Why don't you go show it to Signas?"  
  
"You're a fuckin' bastard, you know."  
  
"Of course. It's one of my endearing qualities~"  
  
Spider snorted and silence fell over the medbay, broken only by the quiet whirring of Lifesaver's tools.  
  
The medic hid a smirk when he heard Spider quietly get up and slip out. And it certainly didn't escape his notice that the box left with the bounty hunter.  
  
 _ **37\. Haunted**_  
  
Roll worries for her brother. Ever since Forte's disappearance (she firmly believes he's still alive somewhere out there, though she's wise enough to keep her opinion to herself), she's noticed a change in Blues. It wasn't too obvious at first, not until Rock disappeared, and not even Blues could find any trace of him.  
  
Blues had become more withdrawn, more closed off. Oh, he was still friendly enough to her, still smiled for her.  
  
But something was missing.  
  
When Blues built Dynamo, Roll felt hopeful that perhaps her brother had gotten over whatever had been bothering him. But then Dynamo ran off to be an Irregular Hunter, and Blues had become withdrawn and closed off again. He'd been furious, too, and Roll had feared he'd do something to sabotage Dynamo's efforts.  
  
Thankfully, her fears had proved unfounded. Though Blues had kept contact with Dynamo to a minimum, he'd immediately jumped in to help his son when Dynamo's Unit were branded Irregulars, covering Dynamo's tracks until the young Reploid had learned the art of evading capture and staying alive.  
  
Then Blues built Axl, and again Roll felt hopeful. But she was starting to get suspicious, too. She'd noticed some similarities between Dynamo and Axl that seemed too familiar to be coincidence. She hadn't voiced her suspicions at the time, only watched the situation unfold, and been alarmed at how quickly Blues had cut ties with Axl after his accident that resulted in amnesia.  
  
She didn't buy that excuse of 'Axl getting training without bias' one bit.  
  
But it wasn't until Spider's creation that everything started falling into place and Roll felt real alarm.  
  
Spider was too much like Blues, too much like _Forte_. And Blues never treated him like a son, only like just another one of his students.  
  
Roll desperately wishes she'd confronted Blues sooner about what he was doing. Maybe she could have prevented that catastrophic argument from happening. Maybe she could have stopped Spider and Blues from hurting each other so deeply, they haven't spoken to each other in nearly four decades.  
  
Blues rarely comes out of his lab anymore these days, rarely even smiles. And Spider rarely visits, not even to see her.  
  
Roll fears she's losing what's left of her family, because only a miracle could mend the rift between Blues and Spider, and the growing rift between Blues and Dynamo.  
  
And she's not sure she believes in miracles anymore.  
  
 _ **38\. Rich**_  
  
"Hah!" Axl crowed, grabbing the pile of zenny from the center of the table and pulling it close while Dynamo, Spider, and two of Spider's bounty hunter buddies stared at him.  
  
"I think you done taught him to play too well, Dandy," Crystal Horn finally said.  
  
"Shut up, Horn," Spider retorted, shaking his head with a wry grin. "This was only the first deal. First time's always a fluke. It's your turn to shuffle the deck, Talon. Make sure you do it good."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Talon threw back the rest of his drink, then took the deck to shuffle it. "Maybe we should check the kid for Aces up his sleeves."  
  
Axl sputtered. "I don't have any- _hey_!"  
  
Dynamo and Crystal Horn had each grabbed one of his arms, raising them and nearly lifting him from his seat, making a show of peering at his bare arms.  
  
"Nope. Don't see any Aces," Dynamo reported blandly.  
  
"He don't even have sleeves to hide 'em in, dumbass," Crystal Horn growled.  
  
"Aw, shut up! You knew what I meant!"  
  
Axl was snickering as they released him. "What's wrong, Talon? Can't stand the thought you were beaten by an amateur?"  
  
"Watch it, kid, or I'll thump you. You dealing again, Spider?"  
  
"Nah, it's Horn's turn."  
  
"Fine. Hurry up and fucking deal already, Horn."  
  
"I'll thump _you_ in a minute, Tal. Ante up, boys."  
  
By the end of the night, Dynamo had his face buried in his arms, shoulders shaking as he snorted and giggled helplessly. Talon was banging his head on the table muttering curses. Crystal Horn was staring suspiciously at his drink, as if it were responsible for the night's fuckery. And Spider had a hand over his face, shoulders shaking as he sniggered ruefully.  
  
And Axl? He was grinning like the cat that ate the canary and the whole damn aviary, his pile of zenny having tripled.  
  
 _ **39\. Everybody**_  
  
Spider warily eyed the item Signas was offering him, leaning away from it a little as his eyes flicked back and forth between the item and Signas. "The fuck is this?"  
  
"You know very well what it is," the Hunter replied. "Humor me."  
  
The bounty hunter grunted with a sour expression, snatching the item. He eyed it a moment longer, as if expecting it to bite, before opening it and giving its contents a flat look.  
  
"... _really_ , Sig? You're gonna be _that_ cheesy?"  
  
The Hunter chuckled tolerantly. "You haven't even given it a proper look."  
  
Grumbling curses about sentimental idiots and cheesy cliche shit, Spider glanced at it again. His grumbles abruptly fell silent, sour expression melting to surprise as he took a closer look.  
  
"...all of you?" he asked, looking up at the Hunter.  
  
Signas smiled at the bounty hunter's stunned expression. "All of us."  
  
 _ **40\. Meant No Harm**_  
  
Crystal Horn glowered at the smaller 'roid in front of him, fists on his hips, the horn on his nose that gave him his name flashing agitation.  
  
Talon grinned nervously, leaning back a little from the angry rhinoceroid, rubbing the back of his head. "N-now, Horn..."  
  
"Don't you 'Now, Horn' me, dumbass," the larger 'roid growled. "How many times I told you _not to do_ what you fucking done?"  
  
The smaller 'roid hesitated, trying to calculate. "Uh...two hundred forty-three?"  
  
"And this is the two hundred forty-fourth."  
  
Talon opened his mouth, only to yelp as the larger 'roid's hand snapped out to smack him upside the head.  
  
"This is gonna be the _last_ time I tell you, 'cause next time I'll leave you to your fate. Don't be putting the damn Fuck You Fridays next to the party mixers! I ain't gonna be peeling you off the wall when it goes off!"  
  
"They aren't goin- _ow_!" Talon almost pouted as he rubbed his head where he'd been smacked again. "But- _ow_!" Scowling now, he opened his mouth, only to duck, covering his head when he saw the larger 'roid's hand move. " _Gimme a fucking minute to explain!_ "  
  
The rhinoceroid narrowed his eyes, growling, but lowered his hand.  
  
Talon kept his head covered, just in case, peeking cautiously at him. "Spider picked up the chemical that stabilizes the Fuck You Fridays before we mixed 'em up from his uncle we got the recipe from in the first place. They're not gonna go off until we want them to."  
  
"That still don't mean it's safe to put 'em near the party mixers. _Those_ can't be stabilized, and you know it!"  
  
"Er...well..."  
  
Crystal Horn snorted a sigh through his nose, eyes rolling toward the ceiling, before grabbing Talon's collar and yanking him close to glare at him. " _Move 'em_ ," he growled.  
  
"Yessir," the smaller 'roid replied, eyes wide.  
  
The rhinoceroid snorted and bumped the blunt end of his nose against Talon's helmet in rough affection, then shoved him away, crossing his arms as he watched him scurry to obey.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Spider is horrified by unnaturally colored fruit, Dynamo tries to think of a new nickname for Cedar, Cedar questions a nickname, Cedar and Dynamo are stuck together, Dynamo is fond of a certain cliff, Blues is caught off guard, Roll wins a bet, Forte is glad to be alive, Spider reports to Signas, and Vava makes a decision.

_**41\. Apple**_  
  
Spider stared at the apples Dynamo was happily slicing, ignoring for the moment the mercenary was using one of his good cutting boards and the wrong knife. "D, those apples are pink."  
  
Dynamo grinned, holding up a slice to observe the pink flesh. "I know. Isn't it great?"  
  
Spider turned his stare on the mercenary. " _Why_ are they pink?"  
  
"Because nature is awesome~"  
  
The bounty hunter was already shaking his head. "No, D. That is not nature. There is no fuckin' way nature could create _pink fuckin' apples_."  
  
"The fuck it can't! If there can be purple potatoes, purple carrots, purple tomatoes, green oranges, and multicolored corn, there can be pink fucking apples, too!"  
  
Spider opened his mouth to argue, only for his jaw to drop, and he stared in horror as Dynamo shoved the apple slice in his mouth and chewed firmly.  
  
Apparently Dynamo couldn't take the bounty hunter's expression any more, covering his mouth so he wouldn't spray apple chunks all over as he cracked up.  
  
"It's completely natural, I swear! Some human genius in the nineteen-hundreds discovered a harmless mutation that caused pink-fleshed apples. He apparently liked the novelty or something, because he started cultivating it, and he called the result Pink Pearl apples. Try a slice, they're good."  
  
Spider leaned away a little from the slice the mercenary had just thrust at him, eyeing it dubiously. When it became obvious Dynamo wasn't letting him out of this, he reluctantly took the slice, eyeing it again, before bracing himself and taking a bite.  
  
He blinked in surprise a moment later, peering at the slice while Dynamo grinned triumph. It actually _was_ good, and tasted perfectly normal.  
  
"...where did you get these?" he asked, already getting ideas for his next dinner party.  
  
Dynamo's grin shifted gears from triumph to smugness. "That's the spirit~ I'll take you to the local orchard tomorrow." He snickered as Spider grabbed a few more slices before retreating.  
  
 ** _42\. Darling_**  
  
Cedar stopped short, giving Dynamo a narrow-eyed glare. " _What_ did you just call me."  
  
"Er..." The other mercenary grinned nervously, scratching his cheek with a finger. "'Princess' is definitely a no-go then. I'm guessing 'babe' is right out, too."  
  
"I will gut you where you stand."  
  
"Thought so." Dynamo hummed, scratching his head. "Let's see...'honey', 'dear', and 'sweetheart' are disgusting and I'll shoot myself before I use them..."  
  
The sniper gave a long-suffering sigh, lifting his gaze skyward. "Isn't 'Ced' enough of a nickname?"  
  
Dynamo gave him an offended frown. "Hell, no! Everyone uses _that_." He abruptly brightened. "Hey, what about-" And promptly frowned, tapping his lip with a finger. "No, you don't like when I call you 'doll'."  
  
"As I recall, I tried to shoot you every time you did."  
  
"Semantics! Maybe...no. Not that one either. Or...nah."  
  
Cedar frowned at the other mercenary, taking in his unusually serious expression. "Is it really that important?"  
  
"Of course it is!" Dynamo burst out, frowning sternly at him before sinking back into thought. A moment later, he brightened as he always did when hitting on one of his 'brilliant' ideas. "I got it!"  
  
"I'm afraid to ask," Cedar muttered dryly. He squeaked as Dynamo suddenly lunged toward him, automatically jerking back only to hit the wall, where Dynamo loomed over him, hands on either side of him caging him in.  
  
Dynamo grinned lazily, eyes half-closed, as he almost purred, "How about 'lover'?"  
  
Cedar swallowed slightly, feeling his face heat up. "L-lover?"  
  
The other mercenary chuckled low, leaning in until they were almost nose-to-nose. "Yeah. It's true, you know."  
  
The sniper swallowed again, finding himself unable to break Dynamo's gaze. "W-wouldn't that require...?"  
  
"Perhaps~" Dynamo didn't give him a chance to answer, closing the distance between them for a gentle kiss.  
  
 _ **43\. Name**_  
  
Something had been bothering Cedar for some time. Not in a bad way, certainly. It was just some small quirk he'd noticed, and finally he confronted Dynamo about it.  
  
"Why did you stop calling me Jeeves?"  
  
Dynamo looked up at the sniper, raising an eyebrow with a slow smirk, and Cedar rushed to disabuse the other mercenary of the notion he ever liked the ridiculous nickname.  
  
The other mercenary chuckled and shook his head, cutting him off before Cedar's sputtering became too embarrassing for the sniper. "You don't need it anymore."  
  
Cedar just stared at him, baffled. "Don't need it?"  
  
"Every time I called you that, it jolted you out of your service drone daze. You noticed more and more what was wrong about your situation." Dynamo tilted his head with a faint smile, eyes half-closed. "When you finally made the choice to leave the situation, you didn't need the nickname anymore."  
  
The sniper blinked at him, startled once again by the simple yet surprisingly profound logic behind Dynamo's antics. "...oh."  
  
The other mercenary grinned at his expression, giving him a teasing wink. "You see? There's _always_ a method to my madness~"  
  
 _ **44\. By My Side**_  
  
"This is all your fault," Cedar growled, scowling impotently at the wall across from him.  
  
"Is not," Dynamo sulked beside him.  
  
"This is all. Your. Fault."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Silence fell for a few moments, then Cedar shifted, tugging at his bonds, testing to see if they were loose yet. Feeling no give, he subsided, returning to scowling at the wall.  
  
"...this is all your fault."  
  
"Shut up. You sound like a damn broken record."  
  
"How long before this is supposed to dissolve?"  
  
"...three more hours."  
  
The sniper sighed heavily. "Why is it that whenever _you_ provoke someone who can fight back, _I_ end up getting caught in the crossfire?"  
  
Dynamo turned his head to grin sheepishly at the sniper. "Just lucky, I guess?"  
  
"Some luck. Give me some warning the next time you decide to harass Slashman so I can take cover. I've no wish to end up glued to the wall again."  
  
The other mercenary snickered. "I'll try to make a note of that."  
  
 _ **45\. Mountains**_  
  
Dynamo has never cared all that much for topography. It was always just something to traverse in search of treasure, or take advantage of in battle.  
  
But he's grown rather fond of a particular cliffside with a particular crevice, and he can often be found there, sitting on the edge and watching the sun rise over the remains of the Eurasia colony.  
  
And he feels a flush of pride and vindication.  
  
 _ **46\. Blues' Side (Writer's Choice)**_  
  
Blues sighed heavily and sat back from his desk, reaching up to remove his shades and rub the bridge of his nose. He was so damn tired of looking through reports and communique and news stories, trying to keep on top of everything and head off problems before they became catastrophes. It certainly hadn't helped much that the Federation had recently changed their encryption, and the Hunters changed their format. Not to mention the Council had increased their security.  
  
Letting his hand drop, he looked at his desk, taking in the empty mugs and disposable cups scattered around the surface, and he sighed again. He really should cut back on the coffee, he couldn't remember the last time he slept. But there was so much to _do_ , he couldn't dare risk it.  
  
He heard the lab door open, but didn't turn, dismissing it as Roll coming to scold him, or Dynamo to harass him.  
  
"So this is where you've holed up, damned slinker."  
  
Blues felt his spine go rigid at that voice, eyes widening, then he spun around in his chair, staring at the 'roid standing there.  
  
Forte smirked back at him, one fang exposed in a familiar show of mischief, clearly enjoying Blues' shock.  
  
Slowly Blues stood, keeping his eyes on Forte, barely able to credit what he was seeing. "How...?"  
  
"Remember that weird signal you sent me to investigate?" Spider asked from the doorway.  
  
Blues glanced at him, only just now noticing his youngest's presence, the bounty hunter leaning against the wall in his usual pose, but with a shadow slinker's smile. "Yes. It was...?" His eyes returned to Forte, unable to leave the smirking bot for long.  
  
"Yup. We swung by Lifesaver's medbay so the cantankerous bastard could fix him up, rebuild his arm, and give him a scan for the Virus so you wouldn't have to worry about all that."  
  
Distantly, Blues thought he should be thanking Spider for the consideration, but he couldn't take his eyes off Forte, refamiliarizing himself with his appearance. The purple hair, a shade lighter than Spider's, the purple facial stripes, the cocky grin, the wolf-gold eyes when he wasn't wearing his armor...  
  
The younger bot snorted at Blues' stare. "If you wanna pinch me, too, you're more than welcome."  
  
The familiar mix-up of human phrases had Blues laughing weakly, that more than anything proving to him that this was real. He didn't bother responding, not verbally, at least. Striding forward, he grabbed Forte's shirt, yanking the taller bot into a kiss that conveyed just how much he'd missed Forte.  
  
Spider let out a bark of laughter. "Way to go, old man!" he teased, and Blues heard him leave, giving them privacy.  
  
Distractedly, Blues made a mental note to find some way to thank Spider, though he knew he'd be owing the bounty hunter for this for a long time to come.  
  
 _ **47\. Roll's Side (Writer's Choice)**_  
  
Roll frowned as she made her way to Blues' lab, concerned at the commotion inside. If Blues and Spider were arguing again...  
  
She blinked as Spider exited the lab, startled to see him _grinning_ in a way she hadn't seen since his first few weeks of activation. "Spider, what-?"  
  
The bounty hunter just chuckled, hooking an arm around her shoulders and guiding her away from the lab. "You don't wanna go in there. The old man's gonna be busy for probably the next few hours or so."  
  
"Why, is something wrong?" she asked, glancing worriedly back at the lab door. "There's not going to be another Uprising, is there?"  
  
Spider actually snorted a _giggle_ , and she looked at him sharply, suddenly suspicious.  
  
Lips twitching in an obvious struggle to keep a straight face, he refused to meet her gaze. "Oh, there's definitely gonna be an uprisin'," he replied, voice shaking with stifled laughter. "But not the way you're thinkin'."  
  
Pulling away from him, Roll turned a glare on him, hands on her hips. "Spider, _what_ is going on?"  
  
The bounty hunter finally gave in to his grin, holding up his hands as if to fend off her glare. "I found Forte."  
  
Of all the answers he could have given her, that was the last one she'd expected. "He's alive?"  
  
"I should hope so. The old man was givin' him a pretty damn X-rated kiss when I left 'em."  
  
Roll blinked, processing that, then grinned wickedly and jabbed a finger at him. " _I knew it!_ You owe me a thousand zenny!"  
  
She just laughed as the bounty hunter started cursing, reminded of the bet they'd made all those years ago.  
  
 _ **48\. Forte's Side (Writer's Choice)**_  
  
Forte wasn't sure what to think of the annoying bot calling himself Spider. The fucker practically reeked of shadow slinker, and yet was so creepily familiar that it put Forte on edge. And he wasn't sure he believed the fucker's claims that nearly two hundred years had passed since he put himself into stasis after escaping Wily's psychotic monster.  
  
He changed his mind about that last part once he got his first look at the outside world, and how much things had progressed, despite the temporary setback of a minor Armageddon.  
  
He hadn't been given much time to take that in, what with Spider immediately hauling him off to some medic he knew who could repair him and rebuild the arm he'd lost to Zero. Fuck, it'd be good to have two working arms again, so he hadn't protested. Much.  
  
He'd refused point-blank to be put into stasis for repairs, unless absolutely necessary. The medic only shrugged in response and set to work, which slightly raised Forte's estimation of him.  
  
In the meantime, Forte demanded answers of the annoying Spider.  
  
And Spider told him, giving him a summary of the events he'd missed over the last...damn, had it really been one hundred eighty-six years? Shit, he had a lot to catch up on.  
  
He was relieved when he was told some of the Robot Masters had survived after all, quietly glad his gambit hadn't been a wasted effort after all. And when informed of the fact the medic- Lifesaver, was it?- had in fact been built by Ringman and Pharaohman, he'd gotten a wrench upside the head for cackling and calling the cantankerous bastard 'Bones'.  
  
Though he protested the treatment, he didn't really mind. It kept him from thinking about what else Spider had told him.  
  
Zero was still around. And he was _here_ , not more than a few rooms away.  
  
Forte was glad enough when they finally left that Irregular Hunter place. He'd think about what to do about Zero later; there were more important things at the moment.  
  
Following Spider through the building they were currently at, he glanced around, taking in the living areas they passed through. He raised an eyebrow at the tall bot- why the _fuck_ was everyone so damn tall these days?! -eating donuts at a table. And he couldn't help a smirk when the bot glanced up and did a double-take on seeing him, nearly choking on a mouthful.  
  
Spider had casually smacked the bot's back hard as they passed to help him, and Forte made a mental note to ask about that and some other things he'd noticed. Later.  
  
Entering the lab, Forte had stopped and just stared a moment at the bot inside.  
  
It was one thing to be told Blues was still alive. It was quite another to actually see it for himself.  
  
... _damn_ , did the shadow slinker look exhausted.  
  
Which meant he wasn't paying attention.  
  
Forte slowly grinned.  
  
"So this is where you've holed up, damned slinker."  
  
He didn't bother to hide his delight at Blues' startled reaction, beyond pleased to have finally, _finally_ beat the shadow slinker at his own game.  
  
And everything that happened afterward? Well, Forte took it as his rightfully deserved reward~  
  
 _ **49\. Signas' Side (Writer's Choice)**_  
  
Signas called a distracted "Enter" when his office door chimed, signalling someone wanted to come in. He glanced up briefly, then did a double-take when he realized it was Spider who entered, and that the bounty hunter had actually used the _door_ , rather than the window. And he was grinning in a most self-satisfied way that made Signas instantly wary.  
  
"Who did you kill, and how much is it going to cost to cover it up?" the High Commander asked cautiously.  
  
Spider laughed in response, walking over to lean his hip against the desk. "Nah, I brought someone back this time."  
  
Oh, this had the feeling of a great story. Setting aside the reports he'd been working on, Signas gave the younger Reploid his full attention. "Oh?" he prompted.  
  
Spider chuckled quietly. "Remember I told you the old man was sendin' me to check up on some odd readin's he'd picked up?" He waited for Signas' nod before continuing. "Turned out to be a hidden lab out in the old Badlands. One of Wily's auxiliaries, I think. Got pretty hairy a couple times- the place was so old I kept expectin' it to collapse at any minute. But I found what I was lookin' for."  
  
"Who was it?"  
  
The bounty hunter's smile twisted into wry amusement. "Forte."  
  
Signas blinked. " _Forte_?" he repeated.  
  
The bounty hunter nodded. "I dragged him here first so Lifesaver could repair him. He seemed kinda nervous, and I don't blame him, not after the stories I been told about when Zero was first active back then."  
  
The High Commander glanced at Spider's right arm. "I assume his arm was rebuilt?"  
  
"Yeah, Lifesaver had to build a new one from scratch for him. I learned where my pain tolerance comes from. The fucker refused to be put in stasis while he was bein' repaired."  
  
Signas chuckled quietly. "That does make sense. Where is he now?"  
  
"I took him to the old man's place. When I left, the old man was kissin' the hell outta him."  
  
"Did Roll collect on her bet with you?"  
  
Spider grimaced, shooting a brief glare at Signas for his smirk. "She's lucky I had the cash on hand."  
  
Signas chuckled again, before growing serious. "So what does this mean?"  
  
The bounty hunter shrugged helplessly. "Damned if I know. But I finally understand. All the stories Blues used to tell, the way he is...it all made _sense_ when I met Forte. Doesn't excuse what the old bastard's done to me, but...I finally understand."  
  
"Do you think things will get better now Forte's back?"  
  
Spider shook his head. "Unless Rockman turns up out of the woodwork or somethin', not really. The old man was devastated when Forte disappeared, but he's never forgiven himself for Rockman disappearin'."  
  
Signas sighed softly, turning his chair so he could gaze out the window. "Do you suppose he's still out there somewhere as well?"  
  
"...maybe. D might know somethin' about it, but he's not tellin'." Spider paused, then chuckled and shook his head. "Be our luck and he's been right under our noses the whole damn time."  
  
"I doubt we would be that lucky."  
  
"Bet you a hundred zenny we could be."  
  
Signas gave the bounty hunter a knowing smirk. "Not a thousand this time?"  
  
"...shut up."  
  
 _ **50\. Vava's Side (Writer's Choice)**_  
  
Vava frowned behind his helmet as he watched the house and lab below his ridge perch. Something was different today; there was a lot of activity inside. He could hear Roll chattering excitedly about something through an open window, could hear Spider _laughing_ , a vaguely familiar voice shouting protests at the laughter.  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly, suspicious. Spider _never_ laughed when he visited Blues. And why was that other voice so damn familiar? Where had-  
  
He froze, eyes widening, as he caught the sound of Blues' laughter joining Spider's. He took a step forward, shifting his position, until he could see the elder bot through the window, looking happier than Vava could ever remember seeing him in...a long damn time.  
  
Then he spotted the bot who belonged to that vaguely familiar voice, and he realized why Blues was so happy.  
  
Forte. It was _Forte_ , somehow alive and well.  
  
Vava stared at the scene for a long moment, until Dynamo's voice startled him.  
  
"You could join them, you know, sempai."  
  
He turned his head toward the younger Reploid with a frown. "You know why I can't."  
  
"Because you're afraid."  
  
Vava jolted upright, rounding on him with a snarl. " _I am not afraid!_ "  
  
Dynamo wasn't fazed by his outburst- had _never_ been fazed by his outbursts- and raised an eyebrow at him. "You are. You're afraid of rejection, of condemnation for what you've done and what you've become. But I think you're worrying needlessly. If they can forgive _me_ for nearly ending the world...why can't they forgive you, too?"  
  
He wanted to protest. He even opened his mouth to do so. But nothing came out, because Dynamo was right. With his damn simple logic, the mercenary had hit the nail right on the head.  
  
He sighed softly, lowering his head and closing his eyes, shoulders sagging slightly.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Opening his eyes again, Vava saw Dynamo smiling at him, a hand held toward him in an offer.  
  
"Let's both go, huh?" the mercenary said quietly. Then his smile stretched into a grin and he waggled his eyebrows playfully. "Roll just made your favorite cookies~"  
  
Despite himself, Vava let out a quiet huff of amusement. Reaching up to remove his helmet, he tucked it under one arm, taking the offered hand and letting Dynamo lead the way down the ridge toward the house and the laughter inside.  
  
And Rockman finally came home.


End file.
